A well-stocked vegan kitchen can make the difference between ho-hum and hubba hubba when it comes to plant-based cooking and eating.

Just because someone doesn’t want to eat things that once roamed about doesn’t mean they have to sacrifice the pleasures or cooking and eating. On the contrary, with the right ingredients, a vegan diet can be as sumptuous as any other.

The items listed here fall into three basic categories: ingredients that can stand in for their animal-based counterparts; ingredients to enhance plant-based dishes; and ingredients to add nutrients that a vegan diet may be lacking. This list is in no way complete — but it’s a fantastic place to start.

A word to the wise: When first transitioning to a vegan diet, you may feel the need to add fake animal products to your meal plan. That’s fine if it helps you step away from the cows; but in general many of these items are highly processed — glorified vegan junk food –—and you may be better off without them. We’ve listed some of the better products here; just be aware and take a look at the ingredients list when shopping.